Greyhound Racing in Massachusetts is History!

Update Nov. 5, 2008: Voters in Massachusetts have said no to any more greyhound racing in that state. By a vote of 56%-44%, voters shut down this cruel sport, approving the Greyhound Protection Act, Proposition 3 on the ballot.

The new law takes effect in 2010.

There are now 10 states that allow and actually have pari-mutuel dog racing: Wisconsin, Texas, Arizona, Iowa, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, Florida and New Hampshire.Â Go to www.grey2kusa.org for more information.

For more on the cruelty of this exploitive "sport" and Proposition 3, read Animal Law Coalition’s earlier report below.

Original report:Â The Greyhound Protection Act, Proposition 3, will be on the ballot this November 4 in Massachusetts. This ballot initiative has been a long time coming. Two previous efforts to put this initiative on the ballot stalled. If voters approve of Prop 3, commercial dog racing will be phased out in Massachusetts by 2010.

It’s time to put an end to this cruel "sport" where dogs are kept in too small cages for hours on end. They are sometimes drugged and suffer terrible injuries. Since 2002 more than 800 greyhounds sustained injuries during races.Â The State Racing Commission reports reveal approximately 80% of those injuries involved leg fractures. The dogs also suffered head injuries and trauma, paralysis and cardiac arrest. Â Just in one year from May, 2007-May, 2008, the Committee to Protect Dogs which is leading the charge on this initiative, found there were 400 collisions among dogs at Massachusetts’ greyhound racing tracks. Sometimes they were fatal. Â

Â The Committee to Protect Dogs along with Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the MetroWest Humane Society and the Milford Humane Society are leading this initiative. Click here for more information and watch the video below.

If you live in Massachusetts, register to vote and vote yes on Prop 3 this November. If you don’t live in Massachusetts or are not eligible to vote there, call everyone you know in that state who can vote and urge them to vote yes to Prop 3. Don’t wait. Do it now. You will be saving lives.